United States producing more and more hockey players

BOSTROM

Back in 1968, students at Michigan Tech offered classmate Herb Boxer condolences when they heard he had been drafted.

They had all logically assumed he was headed off to the war in Vietnam.

Boxer had actually made history by becoming the first American-born player to be selected in the NHL draft.

The speedy winger, taken 17th overall by Detroit, never made it to the Red Wings, but the impact of American-born players in the NHL has grown by leaps and bounds.

In 1973, Buffalo made Lee Fogolin the first American-born player drafted in the first round and in 1983, the Minnesota North Stars made Rhode Island native Brian Lawton the first American to be selected first overall.

Last spring a record 10 American-born players were picked in the first round, including the first overall pick, Erik Johnson, by the St. Louis Blues.

Expansion certainly helped spread hockey interest across the United States.

And, many credit 1980's "Miracle On Ice" for the proliferation of youth and scholastic programs that have spawned a world of talent.

For a time in the 1960s, Bruins forward Tom Williams was the lone American in the NHL. In fact, up until 1980, the Duluth, Minn., native was the top American scorer in NHL history with 161 goals, 269 assists and 430 points.

Americans have taken it to the next level since then.

In fact, Dallas center Mike Modano is closing in on a couple of pretty impressive records.

The 37-year-old native of Livonia, Mich., needs four goals to tie Joe Mullen's record for most by an American-born player (502).

Modano, who has 713 career assists, needs 21 more points to shatter Phil Housley's record for most points by an American (1,232).

He probably would have had both long ago if not for a serious knee injury that has sidelined him for 23 games this season.

Modano, who recently got engaged to "Dancing With the Stars" celebrity Willa Ford, is rounding back into form and might be able to collect both records before the end of this season.

Is Modano the greatest American-born hockey player?

That's one to debate over some cold beers and hot Buffalo wings.

Here's an All-American team that would be able to hold its own in an All-World tournament.

GOALIE

Frank Brimsek (Eveleth, Minn.): Earned the nickname "Mr. Zero" by blanking Montreal 1-0 in his Boston debut and recording six shutouts in his first 10 starts. Capped a spectacular rookie season by leading the Bruins to the 1939 Stanley Cup championship.

Brimsek won the Vezina and Calder Trophies and was a first team All-Star.

That season, an unprecedented accomplishment that has never been duplicated.

Even though his career was interrupted by service in World War II, Brimsek had 252 wins; 40 shutouts and a 2.70 goals against average.

A nine-time All-Star and member of another Boston Cup champion, Brimsek became the first American-born and trained player to be enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966.

Chris Chelios (Chicago, Ill.): Chelios has won three Norris Trophies as the league's top defenseman and holds the record for most games played by an American (more than 1,500). Nasty and mean, Chelios patterned his game after former Bears linebacker Dick Butkus. Did we mention he's still going strong? At 45 years old -- and 38 days -- he passed Johnny Bower to become the third-oldest person to play in an NHL game this week. He won Stanley Cups a record 16 seasons apart with Montreal (1986) and Detroit (2002).

Brian Leetch (Corpus Christi, Texas): His glowing resume showed 247 goals, 781 assists, 1,028 points, two Norris Trophies. Leetch went from captain of the U.S. Olympic team in 1988 to Calder Trophy winner thanks to 71 points, most ever by an American-born rookie NHL defenseman. Leetch paced all playoff scorers with 23 assists and 34 points and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, the only U.S.-born player ever to do so, when the Rangers ended their Stanley Cup drought in 1994. Still holds Ranger record for assists in a season (80), career mark for assists (741) and for points by a defenseman (981).

Second Team

Phil Housley (St. Paul, Minn.): Housley went right from high school into the Buffalo lineup. Notched 338 goals and his 894 assists and 1,232 points are records for an American-born player.

Rod Langway (Randolph, Mass.): The ultimate shut-down defender, Langway won a pair of Norris Trophies and was credited with saving the Washington Capitals franchise by helping it reach the playoffs all 11 seasons after being acquired from Montreal.